Mary, Mary

Alex Cross #11

by James Patterson

FBI Agent Alex Cross is on vacation with his family in Disneyland when he gets a call from the Director. A well-known actress was shot outside her home in Beverly Hills. Shortly afterward, an editor for the Los Angeles Times receives an e-mail describing the murder in vivid details. Alex quickly learns that this is not an isolated incident. The killer, known as Mary Smith, has done this before and plans to kill again.

Right from the beginning, this case is like nothing Alex has ever been confronted with before. Is this the plan of an obsessed fan or a spurned actor, or is it part of something much more frightening? Now members of Hollywood's A-list fear they're next on Mary's list, and the case grows by blockbuster proportions as the LAPD and FBI scramble to find a pattern before Mary can send one more chilling update.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Detective

413 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 14, 2005

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site
JIMMY Patterson Books
ReadKiddoRead

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dare I say it, but this is the James Patterson book factory at its best. Holidaying Alex Cross gets involved with the investigation of a serial celebrity killer(!). See how that core concept ticks so many boxes? A nicely balanced suspense driven piece of crime fiction with a wonderfully crafted antagonist in Mary. If this was a movie everyone would be asking for a stand-alone Mary film! 6 out of 12 firm Three Star read.

2011 and 2008 read

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are such easy books to read. Short, choppy chapters mean you can pick it up any time you have a minute spare and knock off a few pages. No need to sit down quietly and concentrate - Patterson does all the work and the reader just has to enjoy.

Strangely for me I have found myself reading the Alex Cross series at random. I am usually quite obsessive about reading series in the correct sequence but somehow am not worried about this one. Consequently little Alex appears, disappears, is a baby, gets bigger, gets smaller depending on where my current book fits in. It's all fine by me.

This book had an intriguing story line with a most unusual serial killer. When the guilty party is finally revealed I can only say I was clueless. Luckily the very smart Mr Cross does not catch on until the very last minute either so I do not feel so bad.

This would make ideal reading material for a journey - excellent story, no concentration required.

[Suzzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Alex Cross book is suspenseful. It keeps you guessing throughout! I don’t think I have ever read a book where I debated whether it was a man or woman in my life. I really enjoyed the psychological aspect of this one since there was more emphasis on the psychology of the perp than some of the other books. Also, this one was not as predictable as a lot of these books can be. I still have no idea where Alex’s personal life is going. It seems to be changing book to book. He sure has an active personal life for someone who works so many hours yet this personal life is ridiculously unlucky.

My quick and simple overall: a really good installment into the Alex Cross series that keeps you guessing from the beginning to the end!

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Patterson is back in form!

Top females on Hollywood's A-list are being murdered in a particularly vicious manner. The details of each killing make it clear that the motives are entirely personal. After each killing (and in one case almost during the killing itself), the murderer sends an e-mail to a Hollywood entertainment writer gloating about the murder and virtually daring the police to come and get her. Yes, you read that correctly ... "HER"! The e-mails are all signed "Mary Smith"! Top FBI Agent Alex Cross, much to his chagrin and to the disappointment of his children and his long-suffering grandmother, is pulled away from a well-deserved Disneyland holiday with his family and ordered to act as a consultant to the LAPD on the case.

Admittedly, there's nothing about MARY, MARY that will elevate it beyond the ranks of enjoyable brain candy thriller to the status of literature. But it is worth noting that unlike the outrageously weak fare that we suffered through in LONDON BRIDGES, MARY, MARY seems to be a long awaited return to the quality of thriller that justifiably vaulted James Patterson onto best seller lists around the world. We're treated to an enjoyable plot that moves along with compelling page-turning speed. Alex Cross, in the manner of Inspector Rebus, Harry Bosch and all of the other loner cops in mystery and thriller literature successfully marches to the rhythm of his own drummer. We are also witness to some realistic character development as we watch the relationship with his current squeeze, Jamilla, go down in flames and we hurt with him as he is hauled into a nasty court custody battle for his beloved son, Alex. And our heart aches as Patterson gives us a wrenching example of the trials of a complete mental breakdown!

Literature? No. Brain Candy? Yes. Memorable? Not particularly. Enjoyable? Absolutely! Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

[Brittany McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always a great time to be on another adventure with Alex Cross. Maybe not all of these books are the most remarkable books I have ever read, but there are all pretty fun to read. I loved the idea of this one and had fun guessing who the killer might be. It was fun to think about how the public would react if this happened in real life.

Christine once again drove me crazy! And I don't know what it is, but Jamilla is still the flattest romance option Alex has ever had. I think that's why she lasted so long; she was "safe" to give something stability in Alex's life for a bit.

Also, Nana can NEVER die.... That is all. I can't wait to get into #12.

3.5-4/5 stars

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

FBI Agent Alex Cross was on a well-deserved holiday with his family in Los Angeles when he was called into a horrific murder case. The killer was taking out Hollywood actresses one after the other. Emails were being sent to a newspaper editor telling of the killings in graphic detail and signing them, “Mary Smith”. More killings following with the FBI and LAPD scrambling to find answers and capture the culprit – would Alex Cross be the one to apprehend the killer?

Mary, Mary is the 11th in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson and one I’ve had on my kindle since 2014. Things have changed between Mary, Mary and the latest Cross, but still the strength, honour and integrity of Alex Cross shines through. Short chapters with intense, fast-paced writing, it’s easy to fly through James Patterson’s thrillers while thoroughly enjoying them. Recommended.

[Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars for Mary, Mary: Alex Cross #11 (audiobook) by James Patterson read by Peter Jay Fernandez, Melissa Leo and Michael Louis Wells.

I liked the premise of the story but the writing felt a little clunky to me. I think I’ll wait a while before I revisit this series.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 11 in the Alex Cross series. First published 2005.

I have to admit that this book was a bit of a step up from the last Alex Cross book I read ‘London Bridges’ which I struggled to give two stars to.

All the usual Patterson scenarios, homicidal maniac, who calls herself Mary Smith, short sharp chapters, fast paced and some cringe worthy family time. For awhile there I thought that there was going to be some serious problems in the, other wise, perfect Cross family but alas it came to nothing.

Mary Smith is running around killing very high profile women in L.A., women who are at the top of their profession and seem to be loving, caring mothers. Just after the murders the killer ‘Mary’ sends an email, detailing the reasons behind the killings, to one of Hollywoods leading gossip columnists. Who then informs the police but by the time the police get this information it’s already too late for the victim, she’s dead.

As a special favour to the current President Alex Cross is sent to L.A. to help the LAPD in what ever way he can. Needles to say the head of the LAPD investigation takes an instant dislike to the famous Alex Cross and the whole thing becomes a macho, chest thumping confrontation.

There were enough twists and turns to keep me turning pages. As I said earlier, a step up from my last outing with Mr Patterson but still a bit too predictable to be a great read.

For me 3.5 stars is about right but to be charitable I’m rounding up to 4 stars.

[Heba · Rating 3 out of 5]

حسناً عليك أن تتأكد من أن النسخة التي لديك ٢٠٤ صفحة مزدوجة لأنني كنت أملك نسخة ناقصة دفعتني للإرتياب بالنهاية...إلى أن حصلت على نسخة كاملة وأصبحت الأمور أكثر إقناعاً ووضوحاً...
هنالك جرائم قتل متسلسلة..ضحاياها ممثلات هوليوود من النساء اللاتي يحظين بشهرة واسعة ، ولكن هذا ليس كل شيء فحسب بل لابد وأن يكن أمهات ولديهن أطفال صغار...
يصلك صوت الراوي رجولياً مهووساً بالقتل على طريقته الخاصة الشنيعة ولكن تحت توقيع " ماري سميث" يبعث برسائل يُصرح فيها بأسماء ضحاياه...
هل سيتم التعرف على القاتل الحقيقي...
تراه الراوي...أم ماري..؟؟...
التوقف فجأة تماماً كالبداية ..النهاية..تم الأمر ..انتهت الحكاية...

[Lucy'sLilLibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this instalment of Alex Cross I feel like this one is forgettable, and could of easily been skipped. One thing that did annoy me was the resolution of something big going on in Alex's home life, it just felt like a complete cop out. I think at this point if you haven't read the others in the series you might get a little lost, there is some recap but it's not that clear.

The general plot was decent but it didn't capture me like some of the others have managed to. For some reason I'm not as connected to books with celebrities as the victims I think because I can't relate to them I find it harder to sympathise. There wasn't any real character exploration in this book either it was just all plot. The ending much like this rest of the book was adequate but nothing special.

Not the best in the series but still pretty enjoyable I still own a lot of these books yet so for now...on to the next.

[☮Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I swore off all Patterson books years ago after the little girl who sprouted wings, but when I saw a friend's review of this one recently, I decided to give him another chance. The Alex Cross series has been pretty consistent over the years, and this one came through as well with a solid story.

I do not recommend the audio version, however. It had sound effects and background music, which just sounded cheesy, IMO.

[Alla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!
This was a great one.
Fantastic and surprising plot and the ending was perfect, couldn´t have been any better :)

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Always better when Patterson is solo author. A supposedly female serial killer is murdering Hollywood celebrities. Cross goes to LA and is suspicious that everyone assumes its a woman. There is a Mary involved but once again we find in the end its all misdirection.

I guessed who the murderer was early on accidentally. I won’t give it away. Of course Cross and is love life is getting complicated with three possibilities. A good enjoyable quick read.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patterson is back on track with this addition to the Alex Cross series. Detective-turned-FBI-Agent Cross is drawn in a suspected case of a female serial killer which is unique. Each of the victims is tied to the movie industry. Besides leaving trademark stickers with the letters A or B on them, Mary Smith also emails a Los Angeles Times entertainment writer a letter to the victim describing how the gruesome crime was committed.

Alex's family life seems to be imploding as Christine Johnson attempts to gain sole custody of LIttle Alex and his relationship with San Francisco police detective Jamilla starts to crumble under the pressure of his job.

Patterson has turned back to the type of stories that made Alex Cross so interesting: quick-paced suspence and just a touch of mystery. The identity of Mary is kept a secret until a very surprising ending. Patterson definitely throws a few red herrings at the readers with this one.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot goes on in this one.

[Curtis Edmonds · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mary Mary is an Alex Cross novel, and that normally would be a good thing, except that it isn't. Patterson started writing Cross novels in 1992, with Along Came a Spider, which instituted the forumla of pitting Alex against this week's serial killer. Along Came a Spider pitted Cross, a psychiatrist who doubles as a Washington D.C. homicide detective, against a copycat serial killer seeking to emulate the best work of others. Mary Mary is the next of the line; one hopes it's the last.

Having said that, if you've never read any of the Alex Cross novels, please read this one first. That way, you'll get the lousy one out of the way, and you can enjoy Kiss The Girls and even mediocre fare like The Big Bad Wolf that much more. But if you have read even one Alex Cross novel -- or any book more advanced than The Very Hungry Caterpillar, give Mary Mary a very wide berth.

Just to give the basics here very quickly, Alex Cross is an African-American detective -- now special assistant to the FBI director -- from the mean streets of Southeast D.C. He lives with his grandmother, the ancient Nana Mama, who is forever telling him to spend more time with his young family. His young family, Damon, Jannie, and Little Alex, are forever telling him to spend more time with them. His ex-girlfriend Christine, the mother of Little Alex, is trying to gain custody of the child on the grounds that Alex doesn't spend enough time at home with him. Alex feels continually guilty about chasing down serial killers all the time and not spending enough time with his family. Let me know if you begin to sense a trend here.

So, it should be no surprise that Patterson sends Alex and his family to Disneyland, where Alex is immediately called away to investigate the gruesome knifework of yet another serial killer. (Authors can be cruel that way.) And there is nothing wrong with this in theory, I suppose; having Alex miss his family humanizes him somewhat, makes him less of a bloodless superman, and provides counterpoint with the lives of the serial killers that he faces.

But Patterson has, I feel, beat this particular drum once too often, and beats it again and again until your ears pound. If you've never read an Alex Cross novel, it may not bother you; people who have read them all will cringe at every page. At one point, early on, Nana Mama expresses a desire to see Siberia, and the reader thinks, yes, that's a very good idea, let's send her, and forget her return ticket.

What you lose out of all of this, unfortunately, is Alex himself. By putting Alex mostly out on the West Coast, it separates him from Southeast, and we lose virtually every bit of local color or anything that makes the books interesting and true. All that's left is Alex clashing with bigoted LAPD officials and trying to track down the clues that will inevitably lead to the serial killer.

It is the serial killer -- known, unimaginitively, as the "Hollywood Stalker" -- who is terrorizing Los Angeles, doing away with high-priced starlets and local anchors and anyone that he (or she) disapproves of, or so it seems. It is the serial killers who make the Alex Cross books so interesting -- Patterson usually even allows them to narrate (in third person) about half of the books anyway. The last Alex Cross entry was The Wolf, a psychotic ex-KGB agent who enjoyed zamochit, which means breaking every single bone in the victim's body, even the tiny bones in your ear and those special bones that Ken Griffey breaks in his hand every so often. It would be hard to top that.

Patterson doesn't even try. This killer -- who calls himself "The Storyteller" is lame in the extreme. We know he's out there because -- wait for it -- he sends e-mails to a reporter at the L.A. Times announcing his kills, along with juicy little details that only the true killer would know. Which would be fine, just fine, if only Patterson hadn't used the exact same schtick in Kiss The Girls with "The Gentleman Caller". And he was a lot more romantic and literary and interesting than the Storyteller, who just hacks people up for giggles.

Does the Storyteller have a cunning plan? Sure he does! It was even original when Agatha Christie thought it up in 1936. (You may think I am kidding; I am not.)

Mary Mary is flat, uninteresting, and not worthy to be mentioned with the rest of the Alex Cross books. There is nothing in its pages to recommend it to anyone, so bad it is. I encourage you to read it only if you buy it used on Amazon (I am listing my copy as soon as I finish this review, really I am) or find some poor soul willing to give you his copy.

Why is it so bad? Well, if you look at James Patterson's Wikipedia page, it says that in 2005 he published a "Women's Murder Club" book, and three other books, and has another book coming out in February. If Mary Mary is bad, and it very deeply is, then it's because nobody has spent any time on it to make it better. Maybe it's time that Patterson took Nana Mama's advice. I'm sure his family would be glad to see him again.

[David - proud Gleeman in Branwen's adventuring party · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely include spoilers, but it's impossible for me to really convey why I hated this book so much without getting into detail. Basically, this book commits the absolute worst sin a mystery can in my opinion...the villain behind the mystery turns out to be someone that wasn't even in the book before the big reveal! Seriously, when the killer's identity was exposed, I had to look back to see who he even was, and the only mention of him ever was that his wife (who was a suspect) mentioned in a throw-away comment that she was married. Really, the read is supposed to be able to guess that this woman's unseen husband who was only mentioned once in a single sentence was the killer?!? Terrible ending!

The main story didn't work for me either, as it just seemed to be a carbon-copy of Patterson's far-superior "Jack And Jill"...

[Alaina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just like how death follows Poirot wherever he goes in Hercule Poirot series, criminals seem to follow Alex Cross around like a lost puppy. The guy can't even take his family to Disneyland without someone ruining it with a murder. Then you shove his ex back into the picture taking away their youngest and you have a book.

First off, the custody battle and everything between him and Christine is getting annoying. Anything that has to deal with her is annoying to me at this point - why can't she just stay away?

The new killer calls herself "Mary Smith" which was really odd to me because it was a plain name. Nothing like "The Wolf" or "The Weasel" or something a little cool. Nope, Mary fucking Smith it is.

Mary, Mary wasn't my favorite book in this series. It was kind of boring if I'm being honest here. I feel like these books are just more about his personal life and other stupid nonsense when all I really care about are the murders. That's why I'm here - to read about the murders and how Alex is going to solve them.

I'm just hoping that the next book will make me fall back in love with this series instead of feeling bored.

[Wonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5! I am such a huge Alex Cross fan! This book was right up to par with the others in this series! Sad to see how quickly things change in Alex's love life or life in general! I am glad he has such diabolical cases to solve! This one is no different!

[Melodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a second book included in my Kindle edition of Murder House. Like Murder House it was a quick , decent read. Mary, Mary is one of the Alex Cross series.
There is a serial killer loose in Hollywood, while Alex is trying to take a family vacation, and simultaneously trying to keep custody of his youngest son. Talk about a full plate! Typical of the series Alex Cross is a multi tasker and criminals had better beware.
I enjoy the series in small doses, and it's easy to pick up any one in the series and find one's footing quickly. And I appreciated getting two books for the price of one.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 11th book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson.
Dr. Alex Cross is a specialist in forensic psychology, originally working for the Washington DC police department and later as an FBI senior agent.
I continue to enjoy the Alex Cross novels which are still currently written by Patterson rather than most of his other books that are written largely by co authors and tend to be hit or miss.

[Karen ⊰✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a number of Patterson books now, I think these are by far superior to most of the novels that have his name on them these days. The stories are fast paced, mysteries keep you guessing, and Alex Cross is quite a likeable and fallible character. The development of his character and his family adds some depth that these kinds of stories need to keep them slightly believable and want us to come back for more.
In this instalment Alex is called on to consult on a serial killer in L.A and just when the killer seems to have been captured... well... I'm sure you can guess what happens next.
Good fun.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second Read: I really liked my second read of this book. As Matt stated in an earlier review, I am having a huge Patterson binge (was that the word?). This Alex Cross book is really good. It keeps you guessing throughout! I don’t think I have ever read a book where I debated whether the baddie was a man or woman in my life. I really enjoyed the psychological aspect of this one since there was more emphasis on the psychology of the perp than some of the other books. Also, this one was not as predictable as a lot of these books can be. Still don't know where Alex’s personal life is going. Don't know which lady becomes his lady love. I remember him dating and marrying a woman named Bree, but I don't remember if something happens to her, or by my reading out of order, I've missed it. This book is real nice in that his current wife has taken their son Ali with her, then through the legal system Christine is awarded the young boy. Great disappointment. At the end of the book, Nana Mama goes to Vermont to see Alex who was in the hospital having been hit with a bullet. He sure has an active personal life for someone who works so many hours yet this personal life is ridiculously unlucky.

It is a really good installment into the Alex Cross series that keeps you guessing from the beginning to the end! Mary Mary is one of the best James Patterson books I have read so far. This book chronicles the happenings of Alex Cross, a Metro Police Officer turned FBI Detective, as he tries to solve the grisly murders of some of Hollywood's famous. It takes place in Los Angeles, California as his family vacation interrupted and he has to once again balance his family and work life as his upcoming custody trial with his ex-wife Christine begins. James Patterson does a good job illustrating the daily struggles of "America's Sherlock Holmes" and how he fights for justice and does his best to be a loving father to his kids. Highly Recommend.

First Read: This Alex Cross book is much better than others of his in the past. It's even pretty clean, and the friendship between he and John Sampson seems tighter than ever. I'm really liking it.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
How do your killings go?
With shotgun shells and killing spells,
And Alex following your trail.

You can run, Mary, but you can’t hide. Mary Mary, yet another brilliant work of fantasticalness thanks to Patterson! 5 stars

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary, Mary is one of the most interesting cases so far, imo. Like all the preceding books, it unfolds fast and furious sucking Cross back into the depths of the investigation even as he tries to resist knowing the ramifications on his personal life are devastating. As always, his love life is challenging...ending another relation & beginning another. The battle with Christine over little Alex continues and is quite heartbreaking. I find myself wondering exactly what IS going on with her. At any rate, I'm hooked and will proceed to the next book with my buddy readers.

[Πάνος Τουρλής · Rating 4 out of 5]

Η Μαίρη Σμιθ δολοφονεί επιτυχημένες και γοητευτικές σταρ, μητέρες παιδιών όλες τους, παρακολουθώντας τις ζωές τους στο Μπέβερλι Χιλς και στέλνει mails στον Άρνονλτ Γκράινερ των Λος Άντζελες Τάιμς με τα κατορθώματά της. Ποια είναι αυτή η μυστηριώδης γυναίκα και τι σχέση έχει με τον Αφηγητή που περιγράφει τους φόνους; Πόσο εύκολα ή δύσκολα θα την εντοπίσει ο Άλεξ Κρος, πράκτορας του FBI και ψυχολόγος; Θα ακολουθήσει το ένστικτό του όταν τα πράγματα στενέψουν και η Αστυνομία του Λος Άντζελες πάρει την υπόθεση από τα χέρια της νέας του συνεργάτιδας, Τζιν Γκαλέτα, ντετέκτιβ της τοπικής Αστυνομίας ή θα υποκύψει στα γραφειοκρατικά βήματα που απαιτούνται; Γιατί ο δημοσιογράφος Τζέιμς Τράσκοτ έχει ψύχωση με τον Κρος και τον ακολουθεί σχεδόν παντού, με στόχο να γράψει βιογραφικά του άρθρα και να γίνει γνωστός;

Στη νέα συναρπαστική περιπέτεια που έγραψε ο James Patterson με τον Άλεξ Κρος, 11η στη σειρά, νομίζω πως επιστρέψαμε στο καλό, αγαπημένο και ανατρεπτικό στυλ που μου άρεσε στα πρώτα βιβλία και στα περισσότερα από τις άλλες σειρές αστυνομικής δράσης που γράφει κατά καιρούς ο συγγραφέας. Επιτέλους: κατά συρροήν δολοφόνος, χωρίς να αποκαλύπτεται η ταυτότητά του, σειρά θυμάτων, στενομυαλιά ανώτερων υπευθύνων της Αστυνομίας, φριχτές δολοφονίες, μοτίβο, κίνητρο και σωστή ψυχολογία του δολοφόνου. Η δε επίλυση της υπόθεσης ήταν μια κλιμακούμενη σε αγωνία και ένταση σειρά γεγονότων, με μυστικά που ήρθαν στο φως και έβαλαν τα πράγματα στη θέση τους ενώ το φινάλε ήταν λογικό, στρωτό και ολοκληρωμένο (αν και θα επιμείνω πως αυτό ακριβώς το μοτίβο χρησιμοποίησε και η Αγκάθα Κρίστι στο βιβλίο της «The ABC murders»). Ταυτόχρονα η νοικοκυρά Μαίρη Σμιθ, που ταυτίστηκε με την ομώνυμη φόνισσα, έχει τη δική της τραγική ιστορία μέσα στο βιβλίο, ένα δύσκολο και σκληρό παρελθόν που θα σκάσει μπροστά της όταν η επίλυση της υπόθεσης φτάνει στο τέλος, δυσκολεύοντας και ταυτόχρονα διευκολύνοντας τα πράγματα! Τη συμπάθησα και τη λυπήθηκα, μιας και οδηγήθηκε σε κάποιες πράξεις λόγω ψυχικών διαταραχών, οι δικοί της δαίμονες όμως την κυνηγούν μέχρι και σήμερα, που προσπαθεί να ορθοποδήσει μόνη με τρία παιδιά, οδηγώντας την ιστορία σε ένα απρόσμενο φινάλε. Από την άλλη ο Αφηγητής είναι μια προσωπικότητα που, παίρνοντας τη σκυτάλη από την πρωτοπρόσωπη αφήγηση του Κρος, περιγράφει με θράσος και αποστασιοποιημένα τους φόνους που θέλει να κάνει, το μοτίβο που πρέπει ν’ ακολουθήσει μα πάνω απ’ όλα, από κεφάλαιο σε κεφάλαιο, δείχνει αλλαγμένος, έτοιμος να χάσει κάθε ψυχραιμία αλλά και μεθοδικότητα, αρκεί να διαπράξει άλλον έναν φόνο!

Σε προσωπικό επίπεδο, ο Άλεξ Κρος, μετά από ένα ατυχές συμβάν στην Ντίσνεϋλαντ που οδήγησε την Κριστίν στα άκρα και την ανάγκασε να επισπεύσει την ακροαματική διαδικασία για την κηδεμονία του Άλεξ Τζούνιορ, βρίσκεται αντιμέτωπος με την ασύλληπτη περίπτωση απώλειας της φροντίδας του ίδιου του παιδιού του. Ταυτόχρονα, η Τζαμίλα Χιουζ το παίρνει απόφαση και διακόπτει τη σχέση της με τον Κρος, που αρχίζει να παραπαίει συναισθηματικά ανάμεσα στη νοσοκόμα της Νάνα Μάμα, με την οποία μεγάλωσαν μαζί, και τη συνεργάτιδά του στο Λος Άντζελες, Τζιν Γκαλέτα. Επίσης, ο παιδικός του φίλος, Τζον Σάμπσον, χαίρεται την έγγαμη ζωή του με την τριών μηνών κόρη τους. Σε αυτό το βιβλίο ο Άλεξ Κρος δεν υπερασπίζεται και τόσο σθεναρά την απόφασή του να παραιτηθεί απ’ όλ’ αυτά, αν και ενοχλήθηκε αφάνταστα που ο διευθυντής του FBI δε σεβάστηκε τις διακοπές του και τον έσπρωξε στη νέα υπόθεση δολοφονιών. Κάτι το συναισθηματικό φορτίο της Μαίρη Σμιθ, κάτι που για άλλη μια φορά θα κινδυνεύσει ο ίδιος και δε θέλει ν’ αφήσει τα δικά του παιδιά μόνα, χώρια τον εξάψαλμο που ακούει από τη Νάνα Μάμα, ίσως λοιπόν όλα αυτά να τον οδηγήσουν να πάρει επιτέλους μιαν απόφαση και να σταματήσει να μεμψιμοιρεί, στα δικά μου μάτια τουλάχιστον, για όλο το συναισθηματικό βάρος που επιφέρει η θέση του ντετέκτιβ.

Οι «Φόνοι στο Μπέβερλι Χιλς» είναι μια συναρπαστική περιπέτεια που παίζει με το μυαλό του αναγνώστη σε πολλά επίπεδα, έχει αρκετές ανατροπές, μια ωραία κεντρική ιδέα γύρω από την οποία γίνονται οι φόνοι και ένα γλυκόπικρο φινάλε σε προσωπικό κι επαγγελματικό επίπεδο. Ας ελπίσουμε πως η συνταγή αυτή θα διατηρηθεί και στα επόμενα βιβλία με ήρωα τον Άλεξ Κρος.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first James Patterson read; I've always seen his books in bookstores and know a little about him as a thriller author, but until now I'd never read any of his books. I realized after I picked up the book that it was late in the Alex Cross series, but after reading it, I can honestly say I didn't need to read the other books in the series to get the story.

Even the background information on Alex Cross peppered throughout the book wasn't hard for me to pick up on, assimilate into what I knew of Cross, and extrapolate on without much of a problem. To some degree it made me want to go back and see the rest of the Cross stories, but at the same time, I don't have to do it.

Patterson's writing style is short, quick, and easy to read. I read the book fast and felt like the short sentences and chapters helped motivate me to read faster to get to the climax of the book. For a thriller, I think that's a good quality; it shows that Patterson at least knows how to write his genre of choice. I'd be interested to see if his writing style changes in his romances at all.

I thought the plot was well-developed. It had some twists and turns I wasn't expecting. I used to read quite a bit of mystery and thriller books, so I had the same sense of what was coming next that most mystery readers probably would. At the same time, Patterson still surprised me with the ending, so I thought that gave him credit in my book. I will say I wasn't entirely surprised by the kind of person he had as the killer, only the specific person surprised me.

I'd probably read another Patterson book or two, but I doubt I'll read the whole Cross series. It's good, but it's not entirely my genre. I will take a few of his techniques with me; I like the intermixing of third and first person perspectives and think Patterson is a good writer. Overall, I'd recommend the book to a friend, but I might suggest they start at the beginning instead of in the middle.

[Nicole Hughes-Chen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Patterson has written a lot of books, so he's clearly got a lot of fans out there, but I don't think I'm one of them.

Immediately I was struck by the fact that this author has not been introduced to a page break; I think his longest chapter was two and a half pages. I guess that's his style but I don't think it works. Readers like to read a chapter or two at a time, but in this book you read ten. Also writers use the end of chapters for cliffhangers or to change time period, character focus, or direction; Patterson just overuses chapters so they become pointless and worthless in the book.

I felt the start of the story was quite intense; Alex has this new case he's getting pulled into, he has a reporter virtually stalking him on holiday, he has a custody battle for his son...I was feeling his stress! But nothing is explained about the reporter stalking him throughout the book, the custody battle for the son is downplayed and the ending for this part of the story is really weak. I appreciate this is book 11 of the Alex saga and perhaps if I read the books in order I'd have more context and appreciate these storylines more, but each book needs to be able to stand on its own.

I thought the style of the book weird in that I didn't feel like Patterson was trying to engage the reader in to guessing who the killer was. The reader was to simply just enjoy the ride of Alex working it out. I quite like books that give you options and you have to use your analytical skills to ascertain the killer, so a little disappointed here.

Spelling and punctuation looked perfect - just grammar Patterson needs to work on - the lack of page breaks where breaks were needed. I will not be quick to pick up another Patterson and will likely have lower expectations next time.

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 11th novel in the Alex Cross series, thankfully, gets things back on track. After the less-than-satisfactory prior two books (The Big Bad Wolf and London Bridges), I was happy to see Alex get back to a new case, one that doesn’t have anything to do with prior antagonists or situations. It took me over two years to return to this series because of those letdowns but I’m glad I did as this one was a decent read.

I enjoyed the psychological slant that becomes a big part of this mystery. Quite a lot of police procedural in this one with Alex having to pound the street, knock on doors and interview people. Even he remarks that it’s nice to get back to real police work. Like Alex, as we neared the end, I felt the LAPD was arresting the wrong person but, also like Alex, I wasn’t sure why. The gimmick of never being sure if the bad guy is a man or a woman was well handled. As in all James Patterson books, this one is designed as a page-turner, with very short chapters, some only one page long.

Alex’s personal life goes though some big twists and turns, but the ending was happy. For the moment at least. I can’t believe it will stay that way.

[Cecily Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the last two but still interesting. I am looking forward to continuing the series and this seems to be a common thing for me where I like some of the books from this series but not others.
Okay Read!